There was quite a shake here on Friday evening at 9:30 p.m. and it had many people wondering what was going on. It was indeed an earthquake. We don’t get a lot of those so close to here, but this one was 4 km northeast of Coalmont and 5 km down. It registered 2.9. You can get exact details about it from Earthquakes Canada by going to this page: Earthquake Details (2017-08-18).

People here described it as a loud bang that shook the house. Nothing was felt or reported from Princeton, but Tulameen was also effected.

B.C. is considered a high-risk earthquake zone. There have been 72 earthquakes in the last 30 days and almost two thousand in the last year. It is a good idea to be prepared by knowing what to do in event of an emergency. This site gives excellent advice on earthquake emergency preparedness. §

There was a substantial and very hot fire on Front Street just outside the Coalmont General Store today. Here is what it looked like at 10:52 a.m. At that point the Tulameen Fire Department was already on the way and they soon came with water and the manpower needed. Given the dry season and current forest fire situation it was a tense time for all who were gathered in the street. This could have been the end of Coalmont and everyone knew it. Our fire department however worked swiftly and efficiently to put out the 30 foot high flames and by noon the situation was well under control.

The fire was in a motorhome which has been parked on the street for some months. It was close along the fence of the CGS property and partly outside 1831 Front Street. There was nobody in it or present on the premises at the time. Both police and ambulance were also on the scene. Several people brought fire extinguishers, but realized when they saw the size of the blaze that this was not going to be something they could get close to. Residents in the Coalmont Store were ordered outside and not allowed in until the fire was out. The cause of the fire has not been determined, but police said they were treating it as suspicious.

Telephone and power wires above the fire were damaged. The telephone cable actually melted, but the power fared better. A BC Hydro worker who arrived shortly after the fire fighters were finished, said the transformer on the pole was not damaged. The pole which had some burn, also did not require replacement at this time. The worker had the power restored by 2 p.m. Telus was also alerted, but there is no word on when the telephone service will be restored to those effected.

There was some damage to trees. The nearby hedge was mostly burnt, and half the lawn at the CGS was charred. Considering the size and intensity of the blaze, the outcome was very good. It was a tense time for all Coalmont residents, and the dedicated work of our Fire Department again got everyone’s respect. As one of the fire engines was leaving, a small group standing on the street could be heard applauding. §

The wild fire just East of us continues to grow. But we are blessed with a lot of help to keep us safe. These pictures from Monday are of water bombers taking up water from Otter Lake.

Bob Stern writes “Here are some photos I took this evening at Otter Lake in Tulameen of the Conair Single Engine Air Tankers (SEAT) picking up water to fight the fire in Princeton. They flew about 10 loops of 12 minutes each, and there were six aircraft.”

There are wildfires all over BC, thousands of people are displaced, and the province is in a state of emergency. The closest to us is 10 Km NE of Princeton. We are in the Kamloops Fire Centre area and if you want to know more, the active fires are listed on this web page.

We are lucky that the wind has not carried a lot of smoke here, but it was still quite hazy on Tuesday. The current size of the fire is estimated at 2,700 hectares. Although it is still growing, there are fire breaks being constructed and it’s still looking like we will be fine here, although it is prudent to be prepared for evacuation nevertheless. §

The Emporium was the only store in Coalmont for many years but closed in 1988. It was built by Walt Smart and he moved from his previous location across the street in what is now called the Coalmont General Store. The hope was to add a second story later. That never came to be, and now it is all gone.

On Monday, June 26 Bob Reichert arrived with his big excavator and demolition began. The building had become quite derelict and there was not much to save except the memories. The new owners of the property plan to landscape the lot. One thing is for sure, the old familiar view when you enter Coalmont is very different and will take a little while to get used to.

The excavator starts work.
It doesn’t take long before most of it is ready to haul away.
The view at the entrance to town is very different now.
Here is what the building looked like on July 19, 2015.

Granite Creek Cemetery has once again been attacked by irreverent treasure seekers. Over the weekend there were more than sixteen holes dug by someone – presumably in search of interesting historical items. The desecration took place in the Chinese section, so it seems the impostors had some idea in mind relating to that culture, at least as it was in the early days of gold mining in this area. There is a sign at the historic graveyard with a map showing the layout of the plots.

The Granite Creek Cemetery is one of the few places where there is a memory of the many Chinese miners who came here and died here. They were not shown much respect in their day, and it behooves us to remember them now as they contributed much more to the life of the day and history of this Province than is generally written about. Other important pioneers of the area, such as Foxcrowle Cook, are also buried here. What some visitors may not know is that this little country graveyard is still in current use by local families, many of whom trace their roots back to those exciting days of the 1880s when Granite Creek attracted hard working pioneers who laid the foundation of what we have here today.

Update, 2017-05-28
A reader has requested that we post pictures of the actual holes dug. Here are four examples. There is an exhumed Chinese grave in each photo, so you can judge the proximity and size of the holes that were dug over the May Long Weekend. This is less than half of them. Some of them overlap, leaving an area about 2 metres across disturbed. This is actually a delicate archaeological situation and requires more than usual sensitivity on the part of visitors.

The 1885 Gold Rush in the Similkameen Valley centred on the tiny creek near present day Coalmont that was named Granite. A settlement grew at the site and miners arrived from as far away as California looking for new rivers and creeks to mine. Within two decades after being partially rebuilt following a fire in 1907, the community was largely abandoned and has been known as a ghost town since the 1930’s.

The Granite Creek Preservation Society was formed in 2013. The group’s mandate is hefty considering the historic significance of the once thriving gold town. The GCPS desires to protect the territorial integrity of the town site. Through their efforts they have worked to provide an understanding of the importance of the historical, archaeological and geological aspects of the ghost town and surrounding land. The group has taken on this task in order to encourage continued study of the significance of the historic gold mining town.

It took the GCPS 18 months of hard work to reach a major step in their preservation efforts. That was when they were granted a License of Occupation with the approval of the RDOS. The LoO is a requirement before any kind of physical preservation can take place at the town site. The GCPS has had a self-guided interpretive walking tour on their radar for years. The LoO allows them to proceed with a plan, with the assistance of the RDOS, to place a total of ten story boards/interpretive signs at Granite. Two will be in the area of the Granite Creek Cemetery with the remaining eight to appear within the footprint of the ghost town site.

Each sign will feature photos of landmarks or buildings as they once appeared and a documentation of what may have happened at the location during the height of Granite Creek’s popularity. Signs will recount significant activities, identify key community leaders and important buildings adding to the experience of walking the streets of what was once one of the largest settlements in British Columbia.
Grant applications are currently in process to assist with funding this exciting development of bringing life to Granite.

Cemetery Also Set To Come Back To Life

Prompted by contact by Consumer Protection BC, the GCPS is in the process of becoming the Operator of the Granite Creek Cemetery, which was closed in 2007. Although the group had been unofficially taking care of the cosmetic appearance of the Cemetery as well as researching and documenting burial records for the site, they recently opted to apply to become the official Cemetery Operator.

The process is complicated as it involves several steps, the first being obtaining a Lease for the property where the Granite Creek Cemetery sits. The goal of the Society is to reopen the Cemetery to allow for full body burials, cremated remain interments and the scattering of cremains for residents (and the families of residents) of Coalmont, Granite Creek and Blakeburn. The group is early in the stages to reopen the Cemetery and is hopeful they will achieve this goal within 2017.

Letters of Support for the GCPS becoming the official Operator of the Granite Creek Cemetery can be filed online at this link or comments can be mailed to the Senior Land Officer, Thompson-Okanagan, MFLNRO, at 441 Columbia Street in Kamloops, BC V2C 2T3.

You can also support the Granite Creek Preservation Society by becoming a Member. Membership is $10 per year and you can join online at www.granitecreekbc.ca. Or if you prefer, you can just make a donation to support the efforts of the GCPS in preserving the ghost town and Cemetery.

One of the well known personalities on the Coalmont landscape is moving. Abie, who’s real name is Eberhardt Nipkov, has lived here since 2003. He first visited this area in the 70s, but it was in the 90’s that he started coming to stay at the Granite Creek Forestry campsite. Even back then he was known for his red diesel VW Rabbit, a model who’s engine and mechanical details he probably now knows better than most people ever will.

His attitude of tenaciously insisting on conquering mechanical items in his life is in his blood. His grandfather, Paul Nipkov, was the inventor of mechanical television which paved the way for modern television.

One of the defining characteristics of Coalmont is the cottonwoods. These floodplain pioneers have laid the foundation of our local ecosystem but have mostly been pushed away by the invasion of people. This is the case everywhere in this corner of the continent where these interesting trees live.

Cottonwood riparian forests are a biological treasure. They house an amazing variety of plants and animals. Unfortunately, these ecosystems are at risk in British Columbia. The problem is that they are located on level and fertile land, which is exactly where people like to settle. Human activities have destroyed many old cottonwood forests and only fragments remain. It is estimated that we have lost 85 percent of valley bottom riparian habitat and much of what is left is in poor health.

In semi-arid areas like the South Okanagan and Lower Similkameen, riparian areas are important for maintaining plant and animal diversity for the whole region. Studies have shown that 80 percent of wildlife are either directly dependent on riparian ecosystems or use them more frequently than other habitats. Extensive, healthy riparian systems are critical for wildlife, and habitat restoration and protection are high priorities for wildlife management. Since wetland and riparian areas cover only 4 percent of the region yet are critical for so many species, the loss of small areas can have a dramatic effect on local wildlife populations.

Here in Coalmont we have cut down many of the large old trees because they are unsafe to have near our houses. This is unfortunate, but cannot be avoided. However, we are lucky that there are still some intact areas nearby which can serve their important environmental purpose if we take care of them.

Kiaira Anderson has opened a new business in Coalmont. You may have seen it as you drive by the Hotel. This is our traditional business corner and Kiaira brings her Art Cart here on many days. She sells baked goods and crafts so please stop and have a look. §

The little village of Coalmont just got smaller – a whole lot smaller!!! Brian Swanton of Lion’s Head, Ontario has been reconstructing a G-scale garden railroad of the Kettle Valley Railway. Among other towns that he is recreating for his model, is the town of Coalmont. This isn’t a toy train set he’s building – this is art combined with history!

Mr. Swanton contacted the Sternes for photographs of old buildings in Coalmont so that his replicas can be as accurate as possible to the originals. His skills are truly amazing. The model is complete with mini people, mini cars, mini trees – well, you get the idea. His outdoor setup is approximately 60 feet by 40 feet with an indoor area of 25 feet by 4 feet. The outdoor track length is 580 feet and the indoor track area is 150 feet. Sit back and enjoy a ride on Mr. Swanton’s train and see Coalmont’s very own “mini me”. A Youtube video of his setup is on Youtube.

Below are some close-ups of Swanton’s Coalmont recreations. The September/October edition of “Garden Railway Magazine” will include an article about his railway. ~ Diane Sterne

The Princeton Museum and Archives houses some of our most dear historical artifacts from this area. Individuals and families have donated their heirlooms and fonds so that they will survive into the future and be available for generations to come. This, along with education and interpretation, is the job with which a museum society is tasked and which is the core of their constitution. Museums can often raise money and provide a focus for tourism, but that is only relevant in as much as it benefits their main goals, and not as ends in themselves.

The Princeton and District Museum and Archives Society has been in existence and run by volunteers since the 1950s. Currently there is a part time manager who makes the whole thing run smoothly. These last few weeks a plan by the Town of Princeton to take over the museum has come to light. Exactly what they believe to be “the museum” is not clear yet, but it looks like they are asking the Museum Society to dissolve and give the collections to them. This is putting the artifacts at risk because the town has no mandate such as a museum society does. Presumably some new legal document would be written up, but obviously that could not be sanctioned or approved by the people who had made donations in the past. These people made a deal with the museum society and not with the Town of Princeton.

At this point it is not known what the outcome will be. We do know that the building is owned by the town. We also know that the museum society is an official repository of First Nations artifacts in the valley. The First Nations view of a possible transfer is not known. In any case, this is going to be an interesting situation which will no doubt bring out some heated discussion between those who support the traditional role of one of our oldest cultural institutions in the area, and those who wish to see a more radical political and business approach as the way forward.

If you are interested in participating in these discussions and becoming a member of the Museum, please come to the Annual General Meeting Thursday 17 March, 7 pm at the Museum on Vermilion.

At five minutes after one in the afternoon Coalmont went dark. It wasn’t until 7 p.m. that the lights came back on.

Interestingly, when someone called to report the outage, Fortis wasn’t aware that there was a problem. Apparently they don’t do any monitoring of the grid or meters. Not only that, but one Coalmontian reports that “About half an hour after the power went on, a lady from Fortis called us to see if the power was back on in Coalmont“. So apparently those expensive smart meters also don’t report when the power is on.

A reader has spotted the horses which were here last summer and which subsequently disappeared, leaving us wondering about their fate. Coalmont resident Debbie Hong sent in this interesting information about the current whereabouts of these seemingly neglected animals. Debbie writes:

“This ad was posted on the Facebook Page BC Auction Horses. I can’t seem to post the pics but unfortunately they are the ones that are gone, but not forgotten, from Coalmont.”

“These horses are booked into Valley Auction’s THURSDAY Feb 25th SALE…. viewing will be permitted from Saturday the 20th on at the Valley Auction Sale Yard. Please remember these horses have been abandoned since June 2015 and MUST BE SOLD THROUGH PUBLIC AUCTION….. no one is to attempt purchasing them private prior to the sale…. go meet them…. they are super friendly and looking for attention. Please also note, there is no registration papers or confirmation of age available, these are just guesses listed below…..

“I guess someone was tired of feeding someone elses horses since last summer and is now trying to recoup the cost of the feed and care, this being a brutal winter when it comes to the cost of hay. Hopefully they find homes and do not end up in the meat buyers pen, not that there is anything wrong with slaughtering horses but these ones are deserving of a long term home.” ~ Debbie Hong

As we all know, our Telus payphone eventually did get installed, thanks to the hard work of Bob and Diane Sterne who were simply not going to give up.

Unfortunately, after all that we still got somebody with an emergency need wandering around town because they couldn’t find the payphone. No wonder. Telus had provided us with a sign, but it was only visible if you had a view up and down Front Street. So, the Sterns put further pressure on Telus and it payed off.

Today, there was a package from Telus with an additional sign and Bob put it up right away. Hopefully now someone traveling on Parrish (at Coalmont Road), or even along the KVR trail, will be able to see it.

Thanks to Bob and Diane Sterne, as well as David Fowler from Telus, for getting this happening for us.

There was a rock slide on the Coalmont Road earlier this evening and passage is now closed in both directions. According to one motorist who wasn’t able to make it to Princeton the slide happened around a quarter after five.

The location of the slide is a few feet east of the yield sign by the defile. Although it appears that the road itself has not given way, the debris is apparently too big to clear this evening and in the interest of safety needs to be carefully looked at during daylight. Argo has been out there all evening.

The Drive BC Road Conditions site reports that the next update will be tomorrow, Friday, November 19, 2015 at 10:00 am.

At this point there is no knowing when the highway will be open again, but people planning to go to work in Princeton should at least make other plans for the morning. Although it would add almost an hour each way, an alternate route would be Highway 5A and Otter Valley Rd.

UPDATE: There is an Argo truck at the gate by Parrish and Coalmont Road to warn people not to go that way unless they’re local. They now say that it might be cleared today but more likely by tomorrow. Drive BC says they will have the next update tomorrow (Friday) at noon.

UPDATE 2: As of late Thursday afternoon the road is open again. However, they were still working on it so expect delays.

Posts navigation

New Look for CoCo

As you see, the Coalmont Courier is now different, and we’ll be making some more changes over the next little while. The publication will continue as usual and the older stories will still be there. Try the new search function available by clicking the green magnifier, top right.

COMMENTS WELCOME!

If you find that comments are turned off on any article, you're not too late. Just send e-mail to comments(at)coalmont(dot)net
Be sure to include the title of the article if you want your comment published. If not - just say so.

Comments have been turned off on all older stories because of the large amount of spam. We will leave them open on new stories for a week or two, or until the spam bots pick them up.

Archives

Archives

READ MORE

When you get to the bottom of the main page you can click on "NEXT" to get the next 12 stories. Also, if you want to narrow things down a little, you can click one of the CATEGORIES listed at the top of the middle column.

Across the top of every page and at the bottom of this column, you will see a list of PAGES. Those lead to additional information and announcements. Check it out!

PAGES

Go to Canada . . . Then Turn Left

Looking for Coalmont? The Ghetty Thesaurus of Geographical Names lists 15 places in the world named Coalmont. Actually, I found a 16th. There is also a borough in the Huntingdon metro area in Pennsylvania. That's a lot of Coalmonts! But don't worry, it's not that bad. Nine of the Coalmonts are mines in the USA and one is a valley which is also below the border. For some strange reason, there are no Coalmonts outside of North America. When counting inhabited areas, it really just comes down to Coalmont Colorado, Coalmont Indiana, Coalmont Tennessee,
and Coalmont Alabama. That leaves just one, and that's us. In Canada, there is only one Coalmont ... you can't miss it!

Preserving Our Community

The New Coalmont Courier will strive to be a unifying thread for the community. It is not feasable at this time to have a town council or similar organ, therefore I hope that the NCC can fulfill an intermediate role in bringing the community together and fostering a higher level of awareness and communication on topics which effect everyone here. - Ole Juul